UnitedHealth Group (UHG) is facing questions from a lawmaker over the types of patient data, including Medicare records, that were compromised during the February 21 cyberattack at its Change Healthcare unit.
On March 25, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, sent a letter to UHG head Andrew Witty asking 12 questions about the breach and its impact on patients and others. This latest move follows others from lawmakers seeking to know more about the breach and the response to it from UHG as well as the Health and Human Services agency.
Noting that Change Healthcare reportedly handles medical records for one in three U.S. patients and provides services to others, Raskin highlights in the letter the "significant and far-reaching" consequences of the unit's prolonged outage. He asked for UHG to respond to the letter by April 8.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Questions asked include ones about the types of information, including types of personally identifiable information and protected health information, that were compromised in the attack.
UHG is also asked to specify the scope of records from Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare beneficiaries that were compromised.
UHG did not immediately respond to a Kiplinger request for comment.
In a recent website update, UnitedHealth said said it has begun to process its claims backlog and that more than $14 billion in claims should “start flowing soon.” The insurer previously said that about 99% of Change Healthcare’s pharmacy network services were restored on March 7 and its electronic payments were restored on March 15.
Even so, the impact of the breach continues to be felt across the healthcare system, according to a number of healthcare professionals and organizations.
Tricare, which provides prescriptions to military clinics and hospitals worldwide, continues to say on its website that military clinics and hospitals are providing ongoing prescriptions through manual procedures until the Change Healthcare issue is resolved. Tricare also continues to direct beneficiaries to reach out to their specific pharmacy, clinic or hospital for local updates.
Growing data breaches in healthcare
As Raskin noted in his letter, about 725 data breaches were reported within the U.S. healthcare system last year. This is a 162% increase in the last decade, he said.
"The rising number of cyberattacks against the U.S. healthcare system, especially against an actor that holds outsized influence on the market, poses a clear and present threat to national security and public health," the lawmaker said in the letter.
Examples of cyberattacks in the last year resulting in massive data breaches include mail order prescription firm Truepill's data breach that exposed data of 2.3 million patients last November, as well as Medicare's data breach in July that exposed the personal information of more than 600,000 Medicare beneficiaries and millions of other healthcare consumers.
For help during this time, Tricare directs users to check its patient portal for outages for updates and information such as how to refill and check the status of your prescriptions at military pharmacies.
Related Content
-
Stocks Keep Climbing as Fed Meeting Nears: Stock Market TodayA stale inflation report and improving consumer sentiment did little to shift expectations for a rate cut next week.
-
Your End of Year Insurance Coverage Review ChecklistStop paying for insurance you don't need and close coverage gaps you didn't know about with this year-end insurance review.
-
Crypto Trends to Watch in 2026Cryptocurrency is still less than 20 years old, but it remains a fast-moving (and also maturing) market. Here are the crypto trends to watch for in 2026.
-
Your End of Year Insurance Coverage Review Checklist
Stop paying for insurance you don't need and close coverage gaps you didn't know about with this year-end insurance review.
-
Original Medicare vs Medicare Advantage Quiz: Which is Right for You?Quiz Take this quick quiz to discover your "Medicare Personality Type" and learn whether you are a Traditionalist, or a Bundler.
-
Time Is Running Out to Make the Best Moves to Save on Your 2025 TaxesDon't wait until January — investors, including those with a high net worth, can snag big tax savings for 2025 (and 2026) with these strategies.
-
4 Smart Ways Retirees Can Give More to Charity, From a Financial AdviserFor retirees, tax efficiency and charitable giving should go hand in hand. After all, why not maximize your gifts and minimize the amount that goes to the IRS?
-
I'm an Insurance Pro: If You Do One Boring Task Before the End of the Year, Make It This One (It Could Save You Thousands)Who wants to check insurance policies when there's fun to be had? Still, making sure everything is up to date (coverage and deductibles) can save you a ton.
-
Should You Tap Your Home Equity Before 2026?As borrowing rates and tax law shifts converge, here's what homeowners need to know before pulling equity out of their home.
-
My Adult Child Was Laid Off. Can We Discuss It Without Ruining the Holidays?We asked mental health and financial experts for advice.
-
3 Year-End Tax Strategies for Retirees With $2 Million to $10 MillionTo avoid the OBBB messing up your whole tax strategy, get your Roth conversions and charitable bunching done by year's end.
